Flats to Nyack???

Hey All, I did my first ride to Nyack this weekend. I think it was 9W all the way North, past Piermont to Nyack. The ride there was cake but the hills crushed me on the way back. Any suggestions for a flatter route to/back to Nyack???Thx.

The Irv Weisman route (he hated hills) - Jones Rd, from Palisade Av in Englewood to Main St in Ft Lee. You then have to deal with the traffic, the cellphone-jaywalkers, and the liklihood of getting doored on Main St, but hey.

Going north on 9W is not so bad - rollers, nothing killer. There are two major desents: St. Line and Rockland Rd. into Piermont (the Tallman Park Rd - you can continue on 9W to Ferdon avoid this. Or continue on 9W or take Tweed - later).

Coming back, Rockland Rd - Tallman is about .4 mile and almost 7%.

St. Line is about .6 mile about 5.6 %.

9W is my choice back and forth - with maybe Alpine Hill (River Rd) on the way there at just over a mile and just over 7%.

You could do 501 - it is flat until the climb back up to 9W and the GWB.

Any way you go, you have to decend to Piermont/Nyack and climb to GWB. 9W has more hills and rollers and is a better workout than 501.

Also, 501 goes through towns, streets, lights, stop signs, cross traffic, turning vehicles, malls, shoppers. 9W is a highway with a large shoulder and many many cyclists, esp on weekends. A few lights, but the chances of a bike-motor vehicle incident is much less than 501. And the ride is nearly continiuous, with few if any stops, unlike 501.

That you take the time to map out these routes, check the grades of the hills and elevations... THANK YOU. Really, you do everyone such a service. I would be lost forever if I had to figure this out for myself.~CML